Out of unified control, funds to 3 tiger reserves may stop

Nagpur: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body under the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) monitoring all tiger reserves, has requested the state government to place notified buffer zones of three reserves under the control of field directors.
Of the five tiger reserves in Vidarbha, buffer zones of only two — Tadoba-Andhari and Pench — have been brought under unified control.Navegaon-Nagzira, Bor and Melghat buffer zones are yet to be brought under the control of field directors.
Seeking personal intervention of state’s chief secretary, NTCA member-secretary BS Bonal, on May 24, has written to state government that funding support under the centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) for these reserves would not be possible if their buffer zones are not put under the control of respective field directors.
Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Shree Bhagwan said he would expedite the process for unified control. “Basically, our priority has been getting management plans approved followed by eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) around parks and then administrative formalities like unified control,” Bhagwan said.
MoEFCC has made unified control of buffer zones around tiger reserves mandatory since peripheral area of reserves has inclusive agenda of man and wildlife. Therefore, the management of buffer needs to complement the management inputs provided in the core area.
“Increasing man-animal conflict needs higher attention to control. NTCA is committed to extend assistance to the state but this can be achieved when the management of the buffer area is kept under unified control,” Bonal said.
All the three tiger reserves should have been put under unified control by now. Take for example Melghat. Its 1,200 sq km buffer zone was notified in 2012 but unified control has not been done even after four years.
Melghat has a core area of 1,500 sq km. Of the 1,200 sq km buffer, 526 sq km multiple use area (MUA) is already with the tiger reserve. It is taking too long to bring remaining 674 sq km area with territorial wing under the control of field director.
Interestingly, sources said though an area of 661 sq km buffer zone of Bor and over 1,200 sq km area of Navegaon-Nagzira has been recommended in July 2015 and January 2016, respectively, officials are not aware whether notifications have been issued or not.
Bhagwan, however, said notification for Bor and Navegaon-Nagzira buffer zones have been issued.
Confusion about buffer notifications of Bor and Navegaon-Nagzira needs to be cleared immediately as unified control would ensure integrity of critical tiger habitat with adequate dispersal for tiger species aimed at promoting coexistence between wildlife and human activity with due recognition of the livelihood development, social and cultural rights of the local people.
WHY UNIFIED CONTROL
Unified control is mandatory under the Tiger Conservation Plan (TCP) after amendments to Wildlife Protection Act (1972) on September 4, 2006
The TCP aims at protection of tiger reserve and providing site specific habitat inputs for a viable population of tigers, co-predators and prey animals
Buffer zone villages will stand to benefit by way of funds through eco-development committees
Increasing man-animal conflict needs higher attention. This can be achieved when management of the buffer area is kept under unified control